How to make DIY thrifted yarn dryer balls

By Roxanne Goldberg

Sadie Seasongoods / Sadie Seasongoods

Sarah shares her love for crafting, cooking, cocktails, and treasure hunting road trips on her blog Sadie Seasongoods. Her recent posts include a coffee mug transformed into a bird feeder and a spinning lace holder made from a candlestick. While Sarah blogs about a wide range of DIY projects, they all share an element of reuse and upcycling.

One of Sarah's most clever projects are felted dryer balls made from thrifted wool yarn. Sarah explains her wool dryer balls are inexpensive, magic time-savers that are eco-friendly and easy to make. They soften and fluff clothing while also reducing static cling and the time needed to dry fabrics.

To make Sarah's wool dryer balls, use 100% pure wool yarn. Begin by wrapping the yarn around three of your fingers 15- 20 times. Simply slip the yarn off your hand and then pinch a "lasso" of yarn, wrapping another 15 times around the middle. Your wrapped yarn should resemble a bow tie.

Once the ball is the size of a tennis ball, finish it off using an embroidery needle. Next, push the yarn ball through an old pair of stockings until it reaches the toe. Double-knot the panty hose and continue pushing yarn balls through the same stocking, knotting at each end.

To finish the dryer balls, wash them with hot water and dry them on high. After a few loads, cut the stockings and peel the wool balls away from the hose. The final dryer balls will be perfectly soft felted wool, ready to go to work in your next load of laundry.

Good Girl Gone Green has a range of alternatives to chemical ridden, factory produced dryer sheets. She recommends everything from adding vinegar or baking soda to your wash, to using a ball of aluminum foil in your dryer cycle. Creek Line House explains how to use the aluminum foil method to achieve clothes that are completely static free.

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